Real Friends
by Watcher of the Hearts
Summary: Azula has never been a real friend. She's too cold, too mean, and too cruel, and shes about to lose the only ones who ever treated her like a friend. Azula...would never be a real friend. K for now, may change to T.
1. Chapter 1

A new idea I was just inspired to write today. The idea popped into my mind and I just had to get it down. I really hope you all enjoy it!

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**Real Friends**

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A real friend would never make their friend do this. A person with a heart would never do what she was planning, nor would they send out whom they called a friend to do the deed. Real friends didn't do that. Mai would never admit it out loud, but she often wondered if Azula ever was truly a real friend. There were many times when it seemed not. Even when they were little, Mai and Ty Lee had often been forced into playing with Azula, most of which were cruel games Azula had invented her self and often sent her into a cruel cold laughter. Mai shifted uncomfortably at the time where Azula placed an apple on her head and told her she would aim her fire for it. She could still remember so vividly, how her whole body tensed. She was scared, and did not want to participate, but did not move. Whether it was fear of being burned, or fear of Azula she still didn't know. She did know she was thankful for when Zuko tackled her into the water, extinguishing her. The two had been embarrassed yes, and Azula's cruel laughter and mean remarks did not make it any easier. Azula was like that, bullying, cold, mean. Her eyes never held any warmth. There were other times as well when the two girls felt scared of Azula. They dared not admit it aloud, but they knew, and Azula did too. She would smirk coldly, her eyes flashing that dangerous flash they always seemed to wear when she was thinking of something cold to do. Real friends wouldn't order their friends to do things to make them uncomfortable, which could risk their lives. Real friends didn't order their friends around like slaves, making them bend to their every will. Real friends didn't order their own friends to kill someone else, or to betray family. Azula was never a real friend. She had lied to Mai, and Ty Lee and to Zuko. The troubling thoughts hadn't returned to Mai until earlier that afternoon. The scene wouldn't stop replaying in her head.

_The three girls occupied the throne room of the Earth Kingdom's capital castle. Azula, of course, sat idly in the throne, smirking to Ty Lee and Mai._

_"As you know, Zuko has now become apart of our happy little family. You must be very pleased Mai." Mai bit her tongue, her normal porcelain mask taking over her features, unchanging. "Unfortunately, both of yours joy will be short lived. It's come to my attention that Zuzu just can't be trusted. He's been sneaking around too much, traveling down to talk to Uncle, sneaking around the palace. Now, we just can't have that, can we?" Azula smirked to the girls, who had stayed silent this whole time. "I've come up with a plan. I told Zuzu he was going to be heading home before us. I made a little white lie; he thinks Father wants him home, to celebrate his wise decision. Unfortunately, he won't even make it out of the city. I want you two to _take care_ of him." Her eyes flashed coldly, cruelly. Ty Lee gasped loudly and Mai felt her own chest tighten._

_"Azula…you can't really want us to do that?" the small girl in pink questioned who she thought of as 'friend'. Azula looked to her dangerously and it was enough to make the girl take a frightened step back. _

_"That is all." Azula waved a lazy hand, dismissing the two. _

Dismissing like servants. Mai's thought came out bitterly. She wasn't surprised her stomached jumped at the truth of it. Servants. That's all they ever really were to Azula. Never friends, never comrades. Servants, pawns in her cool cruel game. Merely there for entertainment and to boss around, to take care of the dirty work. She knew they couldn't kill Zuko, she knew that _she_ couldn't kill Zuko. And she knew if they didn't, Azula would kill them all, if not punish them greatly for their disobedience, their defiance. And then she realized. That was not a real friend. Real friends didn't punish their friends. Real friends didn't ask them to kill someone, someone that was family. Real friends never did any of that. Azula wasn't a real friend, and she never was. Mai stood up from the front stairs she had been sitting on and hurried off to find the bright pink girl, the only one she could ever have really called a friend…the only one she ever did. They would escape, be it in the dead of night or the day of Zuko's planned death. They would help Zuko and his uncle from the clutches of Azula and escape to where they could be free. Free from a cold-hearted girl who was so consumed by hate and the want for power. Together, they could be free. Mai did not know whether they would stick together or not, and she did not care. As long as they helped one another. That's what real friends did. They stood by one another, helped one another, and loved one another. Azula never did any of that. Azula was never a real friend. The picture of a young Azula flashed through her mind, and then a present one,

_"It is an honor to have friends with me." _Mai clenched her teeth, ignoring the churning of her stomach.

"_Azula always lies."_ Real friends never did that either.

Azula was never a real friend, and she never would be.

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**So…what do y'all think about this one? I dunno if it's my best work, but the idea jumped into my head and I just _had_ to get it down lol. I kinda like it. If it gets enough (good) reviews, I might just continue it on into an actual story. **


	2. A Note and a Teaser

**OH MY GOODNESS!! If there's anyone left out there, THANK YOU. I am SOO SORRY this has taken SO LONG. Life got really busy with final reports for school and what not. **

**So anyway…for a treat, I'm going to give you all a quick little teaser into the upcoming chapter to keep you all interested. Once again, thank you SO MUCH for not leaving me! **

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Real Friends

_She pressed her back against the door, unmoving. From the corner of the room the pink clad girl flipped over from her handstand, looking at her friend in concern._

_"What's wrong?"_

"_We've got to get out of here…now." Mai looked up to her, her face set, but her eyes said something different. It was one of those rare times they showed emotion…and one of the even rarer times they showed fear. _


	3. Chapter 2

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**Chapter 2**

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Mai made her way along the hallways, trying not to make her pace too fast and alert attention. She turned down another hall and stepped into the room she and Ty Lee occupied. She shut the door behind her, not saying a word.

"Hey Mai? What's wrong?" The pink girl sat, well, stood rather, on her hands and feet, bent over backwards. She looked up to her upside down friend but could still see the worry on her face. Even through the set porcelain features Mai would wear Ty Lee was always able to know when something was wrong. She flipped over to her feet and stood up, spinning around to face Mai.

"We need to get out of here." She spoke through clenched teeth, moving to the dresser.

"What? Why? I was just starting to get cozy." She watched as Mai pulled a drawer open, taking out a small leather package and slipped it into her sash.

"Azula's crazy…completely crazy."

"Wait…this is about Zuko isn't it?" Mai sighed, closing the drawer.

"Zuko…us." Ty Lee stepped toward her friend.

"But what about us? We're here, we've got a home, and we're safe."

"No Ty Lee. This isn't a home, and we aren't safe." She turned to see the look in her friend's eyes. No one had ever really heard Mai speak in such a tone. "Haven't you caught on yet? Azula doesn't have us here for camping trip! She has us here to do her dirty work. And when she's done with us she'll have us killed. And believe me, nothing would stop her from doing it either." Ty Lee's eyes were filled with fear,

"But…we're her friends right? She wouldn't do any-" Mai turned to look at Ty Lee, gripping her upper arms.

"No Ty Lee, we aren't her friends. We never were. Don't you remember all the horrible stuff she's done, the things she forced us to do? Those stupid _games_, the way she's dragged us half way across the world to find a little boy and her brother? And now she wants them dead. Her own brother Ty Lee!" Ty Lee shook her head, small tears making their way down her soft features. Mai's voice softened

"I don't like this either…I really don't. That's why, we've got to escape."

"How?"

"When we are supposed to be getting rid of Zuko tonight. We're going to get his uncle, and we are all going to get out of here."

"But where are we going to go?" Mai sighed, shaking her head.

"I don't know Ty Le…I don't know."

In the dim light of the setting sun Ty Lee and Mai made their way toward the docks, Zuko ahead of them. He didn't question his escorts, they were after all much more welcoming than the guards and it was nice to have someone familiar seeing him off. The two girls looked around, making sure the coast was clear. Mai gave a soft nod and Ty Lee reacted, giving Zuko to quick hits to his legs. Before he could ask what was going on the two had dragged him off to a dark secluded spot. He looked up to his captors.

"What is going on?!" A soft hand, Mai's, was placed over his mouth.

"Shut up, will you?" She looked around before looking back down to him. "Azula never planned for you to go home. She planned for us to escort you out…and kill you." His eyes opened wide and she removed her hand. "But we're not going to." Zuko kept his voice low this time.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because we've decided friends are more important than duty." The feeling in his legs finally came back…she hadn't hit him hard enough to make it last long at all, and he stood up.

"Friends huh?" Ty Lee smiled, nodding.

"That's right." Zuko looked to her before turning his gaze to Mai. He sighed lightly.

"I don't understand this. Why would Azula want to kill me? I've helped her, I've…"

"No Zuko. You only thought you've helped her. Azula does that to you. She plays with your mind…twists your thoughts around. She's sick and twisted Zuko." He stared at her…knowing it all was true. He had thought it for a while, felt it, but really refused to believe it.

"I should have known all along. The day she forced me to throw Uncle in jail."

"We've got to get going."

"Where?"

"We've got to get your uncle out of jail." Ty Lee piped in, standing next to Mai who nodded.

"Yes, and then we've got to get out of here. Azula's plan is that you get killed as we board the ship. We told her we'd do it under the dark of night, so no one would see much of anything, and so you wouldn't expect it." Zuko stared at them a moment.

"Alright then, lets go."


	4. Chapter 3

** Oi I know…its been forever…sorry!! I've been a busy busy girl lol. I just want to thank you all for sticking with me and for all the great reviews . This chapter is dedicated to:**

**Firelord Azula, ****Alien Roxi, and ****FrozenTacoGirl. Thanks so much guys! **

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**Chapter 3**

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Under the dark cover of night the three snuck through the servants quarters of the castle and down the long dark stairs and corridors. It took all but two hits for Ty Lee to knock out the guard standing at the end of the hall. He had never seen anything coming in the dim lighting and the poor man was shoved into a storage closet. Mai had been sure to steal the keys to the cells before they moved on. Zuko had run ahead, looking into each cell, whispering out to his uncle.

"Uncle? Uncle where are you? Uncle!"

"Over here." A hand poked through the bars, waving over the trio. Zuko was the first to make it, looking through the bars to his uncle. "Zuko? What are you doing here?"

"We're getting you out."

"What about your plans to go back home?" He paused a moment, standing up. Iroh looked to his nephew, folding his hands into his sleeves. "What about your _honor_?" Although Iroh's voice held no venom in it, Zuko could still feel the sting of guilt. Iroh spoke to Zuko as a dissapointed parent would to their child. Zuko sighed, looking down, as if begging for forgiveness. He knew, as soon as he started this all, that it would be near to impossible to gain that. But he had to try.

"It's a long story, but first we've got to get you out of here, and quick." Zuko looked to Mai who had tried 2 of the 5 other keys on the ring. The third was the charm as the door unlocked, swinging open.

"Are you sure this is what you want…Zuko?" Iroh looked his nephew, his eyes boring into him. Zuko looked back a moment before nodding.

"Yes, Uncle. I'm sure." Iroh stared at his nephew for a moment before sighing, nodding his head.

"We will discuss this later." The two looked to one another and Zuko nodded. Iroh returned the nod, looking to the girls. "Let's go then."

The four ran through the empty, dark corridors and back up behind the building.

"We won't make it far without some sort of transportation." Iroh placed a hand on his stomach, catching his breath.

"We could always take the ship. I don't know how far we'd get…but we could try." Mai sighed in her normal bored style.

"There's a couple guards standing there…Ty Lee?" The pink girl nodded at Zuko's hint and smiled.

"No problem." She skipped over to the two, rather large guards and jumped up behind them. With a few quick strikes they were out cold. She waved over the rest of the group and they hurried forward, be cautious for any other guards. Mai nodded to the guards on the ground.

"Well…we can't leave them lying there. Lets just lock them up in the ship."

It didn't take much time at all for the four to load the unconscious guards into a small cell in the very bottom of the ship. They hurried about, shipping off as quickly as they could. It wouldn't take but an hour or two for Azula to begin to get suspicious. She would wait, on her throne, impatiently and grumpy, waiting for a guard, or Mai and Ty Lee themselves. After another hour she would send another guard to find them. Upon hearing that they were not around, that the retired General and Dragon of the West was no longer in his cell, Azula would go crazy with rage, and storm out to find them herself. Iroh estimated they had till sunrise to be safe. And by then, they would hopefully be far enough away to be safe for a while.

"Gone? What do you mean? …Gone?" the condescending voice came from the young pale woman. She crossed her legs, resting her elbows on the armrests of the throne, folding her hands. The guard gulped nervously.

"No one is around…your highness. The guards, the ship…"

"And _why_ is that?" he exhaled nervously at her cold stare, shuffling his feet.

"I…don't know your highness."

"Yes you do. It's your own incompetence to blame. Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you myself right now."

"I…I…" She sighed angrily, standing up.

"Enough! I can't stand to hear another moment of your babbling. Alert the crew and get another ship. Now." The guard hurried out and she sat back down, resting her chin on her folded hands. "No one will escape from me so easily." She smirked evilly, letting out a small chuckle.

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**Hehehe….Azula's mad, our heroes are escaping, whatever will happen next?!**

**Well…since its such a short chapter (I just needed to get something out and I think it worked out well with this length...) and I like you all so much, and no ones killed me yet for taking so long….Here's a little teaser for the next chapter:**

_**He looked to him, narrowing his eyes. Never before had there been such hatred behind those silvery-grey eyes. He crossed his arms, his eyes locked onto Zuko's face. If looks could kill, Zuko would have been long gone. And the looks from the young boy's companions didn't make the situation any easier.**_

"_**And **_**why**_** should we help you?"**_

**_He sighed, knowing this would be hard. He looked down, gathering his voice and his pride before looking back to the group that stood before him_.**

"_**Because no body else will."**_

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